antibody

the term "antibody" is a modern scientific compound, formed in english in the early 20th century from the greek-derived prefix "anti-" and the native english word "body". the prefix "anti-", originating from greek 'anti' meaning "against", was adopted into latin and subsequently into english via french, commonly used to denote opposition. the word "body" has germanic roots, from old english 'bodig', referring to a physical entity. in this compound, "body" is metaphorically extended to mean a discrete substance or agent within the organism. thus, an "antibody" literally means a "substance that works against" a foreign invader, perfectly capturing its function of counteracting specific antigens like bacteria or viruses.

Structure: anti (against) + body (substance) - anti: from greek, via latin and french, meaning "against, opposite". - body: from old english 'bodig', meaning "physical structure of a person or animal". here, it is used in the sense of a substance or entity.